Point-counter.



No. 788,713. PATENTED MAY 2,, 1905-. 0. Z. ELLIS.

POINT COUNTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9, 1904.

FIG. 5.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

POINT-COUNTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,713, dated May 2, 1905.

Application filed August 9, 1904.. Serial No. 220,143.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES Z. ELLIs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Combined Card-Case and Game and Point Counter, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved playing-card hold er and game and point counter. Its object is to provide a simple, light, unique artistic, and handy metal holder or case which will take up no more room than the ordinary pasteboard case does in which a pack of cards usually comes, but which will have means for recording and counting points and games and will protect the cards when not in use.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cardcase partly open. Fig. 2 is a side view of same extended as a counter. Fig. 3 is a plan view of case opened as in Fig. 2.

The device comprises a holder made in two parts, preferably stamped from sheet metal. As here shown, these parts comprise two per forated plates A B, each approximating in shape and size a playing-card of a pack'such as the case is designed to hold. Formed integral with each plate and suitably bent in relation thereto are the hinge projections 2 at one end, the interlocking respective latch and keeper members 3 4 at the opposite end, the interengaging lateral segmental guides 5, and the spring-clip peg-holders 6.

The latch member 3 on part A comprises a tang bent at right angles thereto and having the short beveled lateral projections 7.

The keeper 4. comprises a slotted portion bent at right angles to plate B, the adjacent lower corners of the slot 4 being rounded and beveled and the sides of the slot proximate to the plate notched, as at 8, for the re ception of the projections 7 of latch member 3. The width of slot 4 between the end of keeper 4 and notches 8 is less than the distance between the ends of the projections 7,

so that when the case is closed the latch member, aided by the beveled end of member 4, will ride outside the latter until the projections 7 arrive opposite notches S, whereupon it will spring in and both members will lie in the same plane. The latch member is released from the keeper members by inserting a linger-nail back of the end of the latch and springing it outward slightly, so that it releases from the notches.

The peg-holding clips 6 are disposed at the corners of each plate A B and are bent over in such fashion that when the case is closed the pegs will lie between the two planes of the plates.

The guides 5 on each side of the holder lie in the same plane, and their contiguous edges are concentric with the pivots of the hinge parts 2, since the guides, like the members 3 4, are intended to be equal in length to the full width of a pack of cards.

The parts 3 4 5 perform not only their 01'- dinary functions, including the inclosure of the edges of the cards, but serve as legs to support the plates A B when the latter are opened out into the same horizontal plane as a cribbage board or counter.

By skeletonizing the sides and ends of the case or having the sides and ends generally open in the manner shown a very light, neat,

and artistic production results. At the same time all the protection necessary is afforded to the edges of the contained pack.

For the purpose of keeping account of points and games the plates A B have a plurality of rows of perforations 9, spaced in the usual manner of cribbage-boards, and, if-desired, certain of these rows may have notation at one end or both ends, as at 10, indicating the value of each hole. Thus the holes of the two outermost rows may have each a value of I; those next nearest the center, V; the holes in the next row at either side, X; and the holes of the central rows XX. In this Way the board is adapted to keep a record of points in games where the values run into the hundreds.

A holder of this character being pressed or stamped from sheet metal is light, attractive, and may be carried in the vest-pocket.

Having thus described my invention,what

I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A card-holder comprising hinged metal plates foldable into parallel planes and extendible into the same plane, and having interlocking means when folded to embrace the edges of a pack of cards, said interlocking means comprising male and female members on the plates disposed in the same plane and adapted when the plates are opened into the same plane to support the plates.

2. A card-holder comprising hinged metal plates foldable into parallel planes and extendible into the same plane, having interlocking means when folded to embrace the edges of a pack of cards, said means comprising interengaging guides on the members and arranged concentric with the pivotal center thereof and said plates having a plurality of rows of perforations, and notations indicating the values of the points in the different rows.

3. A card-holder comprising two hinged plates approximating each in size and shape a card of a pack to be held, and integral interlocking projections on the sides and end of the plates, said side projections disposed in the same plane and arranged concentric with the hinge-point of the plates.

4. A card-holder comprising two hinged plates approximating each in size and shape a card of a pack to be held, and integral interlocking projections on the sides and end of the plates, said side projections including a slotted portion on one plate and a tang portion on the other plate to enter said slotted portion, said slotted and tang portions having their contiguous edges concentric with the hinge-pivots of the two plates.

5. A card-holder generally open on the sides and ends and comprising two hinged plates arranged to be opened into the same plane or to be folded into parallel planessaid plates having integral interengaging side and end projections the projections on each side standing approximately in the same plane, said end projections comprising a slotted portion on one plate and an elastic tang portion on the other plate adapted to interlock with said slotted portion.

- 6. A card-holder comprising two plates each having corresponding side and end projections at substantially right angles to the surface of the plate and said side and end projections including a slotted portion on one plate and a tang portion on the other plate and adapted to enter the slotted portion and interlock therewith, said projections all'ording a support for the edges of the contained pack, the projections at one end beinghinged together to permit the plates being opened into the same plane or folded into substantially parallel planes.

7. A card-holder comprising two plates each having corresponding side and end projections at substantially right angles to the surface of the plate and said side and end projections including a slotted portion on one plate and a tang portion on the other plate and adapted to enter the slotted portion and interlock therewith, said projections ail'ording a support for the edges of the contained pack, the projections at one end being hinged together to permit the plates being opened into the same plane or folded into substantially parallel planes, the remaining projections adapted as legs to support the plates when the latter are opened out into the same plane.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES Z. ELLIS. Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, HENRY P. TRIooU. 

